topic Re: KERN_INSTANCE_NUM in Spark Firewall (SMB)

KERN_INSTANCE_NUM

THG-MID — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 15:02:10 GMT

Have a 1575 xlcluster running (a old version) R81.10.07 (996001397).

I had a issue where the cluster would not sync correctly as one device had configured 4 kernel cpu and the other 3 kernel cpu. This, i fixed by setting both devices to 3 cpu with command FW_BOOT_DIR=/opt/fw1/boot fwboot corexl enable 3.

Looking at the boot.conf file (cat /opt/fw1/boot/boot.conf) i see 1 device has KERN_INSTANCE_NUM set to 4 and the other to 3. Without knowing i guess they should be identical.

How do i change KERN_INSTANCE_NUM to 3 in expert mode on a Quantum Spark device?

Regards
Robert

Re: KERN_INSTANCE_NUM

Amir_Ayalon — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 20:31:33 GMT

Hi Robert,

It's not healthy to manually change the number of cores,

As I assume you have a cluster of 2 1575, the core discrepancy is probably due to a missing license in one of the appliances.

please check your license status.

If it still doesn't work please ask to open a CFG Task.

Thanks

Re: KERN_INSTANCE_NUM

Lesley — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 20:58:41 GMT

Are you sure both appliances are both 1575? They should have 3 cores and not 4

Model of a Quantum Spark Appliance	Total number of CPU cores	Default number of IPv4 instances when IPv6 is disabled	Default number of IPv4 instances when IPv6 is enabled	Default number of IPv6 instances when IPv6 is enabled	Maximum^* number of IPv6 instances when IPv6 is enabled
1535	3	3	2	2	2
1530	3	3	2	2	2
1555	4	4	2	2	2
1550	4	4	2	2	2
1575	3	3	2	2	2
1570	3	3	2	2	2
1595	4	4	2	2	2
1590	4	4	2	2	2

Is license also the same? Maybe one has or had trial?

Symptoms

In 1530 and 1570 appliances, the gateway shows 4 cores when using a trial license. After deploying the license from the User Center, the number of visible cores is 3.

Cause

After license activation, the 1530 and 1570 appliances lock one core.

This also applies to other Gaia Embedded devices.

Solution

No fix is required; the system is functioning as designed.

Can you also check this?

IPv4 CoreXL Firewall instances

To view the current number of IPv4 CoreXl Firewall instances, run:

fw ctl multik stat

To change the number of IPv4 CoreXL Firewall instances:

Run this command in the Expert mode:

FW_BOOT_DIR=/opt/fw1/boot fwboot corexl enable <Number of IPv4 Instances>
Reboot the appliance.

Re: KERN_INSTANCE_NUM

THG-MID — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 07:06:11 GMT

Well both have a valid license so that´s not the issue here.

My question is how to i edit boot.conf in a valid checkpoint way?

Re: KERN_INSTANCE_NUM

THG-MID — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 07:17:54 GMT

Are you sure both appliances are both 1575?
>>> Yes

Is license also the same?
>>> Yes

As i wrote, i fixed the number of cores to 3 by running the command FW_BOOT_DIR=/opt/fw1/boot fwboot corexl enable 3.

I am asking about the KERN_INSTANCE_NUM value.

BOX1:
ID | Active | CPU | Connections | Peak
----------------------------------------------
0 | Yes | 0 | 98 | 175
1 | Yes | 1 | 114 | 165
2 | Yes | 2 | 114 | 242
[Expert@fw-as-rodovre1]# cat /opt/fw1/boot/boot.conf
KERN_INSTANCE_NUM 3
COREXL_INSTALLED 1
KERN6_INSTANCE_NUM 2

BOX2:
ID | Active | CPU | Connections | Peak
----------------------------------------------
0 | Yes | 0 | 138 | 546
1 | Yes | 1 | 162 | 561
2 | Yes | 2 | 188 | 644
[Expert@fwasrodovre2]# cat /opt/fw1/boot/boot.conf
KERN_INSTANCE_NUM 4
COREXL_INSTALLED 1
KERN6_INSTANCE_NUM 2

Re: KERN_INSTANCE_NUM

THG-MID — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 07:36:06 GMT

Host Expiration Features
127.0.0.1 never CPAP-AP1575 CPSB-FW CPSG-C-4-U CPSB-VPN CPSB-SSLVPN-200 CPSB-IA CPSB-ADNC CPSB -ADNC-M CPSB-IPS-S1 CPSB-URLF CPSB-APCL-S1 CPSB-AV CPSB-ABOT-S CPSB-ASPM CPAP-CLOUD-MGMT CPSB-CTNT CK-00-1C -7F-B7-38-B2

Host Expiration Features
127.0.0.1 never CPAP-AP1575 CPSB-FW CPSG-C-4-U CPSB-VPN CPSB-SSLVPN-200 CPSB-IA CPSB-ADNC CPSB-ADNC-M CPSB-IPS-S1 CPSB-URLF CPSB-APCL-S1 CPSB-AV CPSB-ABOT-S CPSB-ASPM CPAP-CLOUD-MGMT CPSB-CTNT CK-00-1C-7F-B7-38-F1

Re: KERN_INSTANCE_NUM

Steffen_Appel — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 08:31:59 GMT

1530 and 1550 / 1570 and 1590 share the same hardware, upon applying the license one core is disabled on the 1530/1570.

Eg a fresh 1530 before applying a license is shown as a 1550.

Re: KERN_INSTANCE_NUM

sigal — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 09:02:38 GMT

Hi,
The file should have been automatically updated after running the fwboot command.
If this did not happen then you can edit (using vi) /opt/fw1/boot/boot.conf.
In order to be on the safe side, just make sure that:
cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep processor
shows 3 CPUs on this gateway.

Thanks.

Re: KERN_INSTANCE_NUM

THG-MID — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 09:11:58 GMT

Thank you.